The Peter Pan (Grade 3)- $200.000 Purse
AQU- For Three Year Olds
One Mile and One Eighth on the Dirt
May 11, 2024

The Peter Pan is an appealing race for three-year-olds that always runs right between the KYD and the PRK and will give us a good blend of horses that were on the TC trail but not able to get into the big race, and others that just beginning to realize their true potential now. The starting gate will be full to capacity for a race that has been won by some very good horses in the past. The biggest name on that list may be the 2016 winner, Black Mojo, as he would go on to be a BC Classic runner that year, finishing third, before winning the Classic a year later. Last year’s winner, Lossupra for Kingellinc, did not have the same level of success or anything that was particularly close to it. He’s still active and running for Riggins Racing, so maybe there is still time. Let’s take a look at our field for this year’s race, which does run at AQU for the first time, moving here from BEL:

1- Gold Vault (Fractious, ridden by D Davis)- A promising two-year-old season led to him qualifying for the BC Juvenile, though he would finish near the back. Afterwards, it looked like he was getting right back to old form as he won the CA Cup Derby in January. Next, were three KYD preps, with inconsistent results. In March, he looked good when he finished third in the TAM Derby, but was a non-factor in both the Davis Stakes and the Wood Memorial. No reason to think he can’t win this, and the trainer would love to see him develop more consistency as the year goes on.

2- Samus (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by G Kocakaya)- Ran in claimers early in his career, but D J C had much bigger goals for him when he picked him for $40.000. Samus would debut in his new silks at GG for the $75.000 Gold Rush that he would win, and off of that, he was sent to the prep races. They would prove to be too much for him, but perhaps this race is just right for Samus. He does work well but still needs to show he can handle graded competition.

3- Charmless Man (Riggins Racing, ridden by J P Spencer)- Became one the latest horses to immediately be sold by Panionios Racing after he ran well for him, and will make his debut for Riggins Racing here. The sale price was $140.000, coming after a win in the $125.000 Mine That Bird Derby at SUN (in a dead heat with Sound Wave), which was his second straight win. Now, with a trainer who looks to keep good horses around, it will be interesting to see how much more Charmless Man is capable of.

4- Gaslight (Mb Stables, ridden by J R Velazquez)- Last month, Gaslight finished second in the Wood Memorial, and given there was ultimately a scratch in the KYD, that would have been enough to get him into the race. However, since trainers cannot have more than three entries, Gaslight was never an option there and winds up in the Peter Pan. That makes him appealing in here, but it also must be noted that he has been inconsistent over his last four races and was a non-factor in the TAM Derby.

5- Kings Angel (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by D E Centeno)- Has turned in to quite an addition, after being claimed for just $9.000 back in November. Now, we will see what he can do against graded competition after some success against CA-Breds. In his last race, which was at six and a half furlongs, he won the $125.000 Eddie Stakes at SA, and prior to that was third in the TUP Derby, which is over a mile. Trainer could still be looking to find his ideal distance, but first will give him a nice test here.

6- Redeemer (Avenue Z, ridden by L Saez)- Six weeks ago, Redeemer was non-factor in the $250.000 Rushaway Stakes, a race that was won by Good Memories, who went on to win the Grade 3 Lexington. That was a good field, but the problem is that Redeemer wasn’t even close in it. He also was not able to step up in the $100.000 Allison Derby, but when in overnights he does very well. Redeemer is going to have to live up to his name now and show the ability to move up in class.

7- Capiche (Fractious, ridden by M Franco)- Finished his two-year-old season running very well with the FL-bred condition and began this year by running third in both the San Vicente and Holy Bull. However, he has struggled since then, with a terrible performance in the San Felipe Stakes that we may have been ready to throw out because of the mud, but he could then do no better than ninth in the SA Derby. Fractious has plenty of talented three-year-olds, and if Capiche is going to need to prove that he can still handle this level of competition. This is a great spot for him.

8- Sick Boi (Night Mare Racing, ridden by J Lezcano)- The fourth quarter two-year-old is just getting his career in motion, and was able to break his maiden six weeks ago with a wire-to-wire win right here at nine furlongs. He’ll get his chance to graduate quickly in the ranks as he is entered in the Peter Pan, but he is likely still a growing horse so he could be able to build on that race. It’s a tough ask to expect a win, but the trainer will get to find out where he stacks up against high quality three-year-olds.

9- China Syndrome (Night Rider Stables, ridden by K Carmouche)- Here is another horse that has not raced all that much yet, with only four career starts. After two races with Barcelona Farms, China Syndrome found himself claimed by Night Rider, who’s always looking to pick up top horses in that manner. It’s worked out very well thus far, as he has won both races since, including a N1X allowance at PRX last time out. Like Sick Boi, he gets a chance to see where he stacks up.

10- Inviting (Mb Stables, ridden by F Pennington)- Speaking of PRX, the king of PRX, F Pennington, finds his way to the Peter Pan to ride Inviting, a colt that showed plenty of promise very early in his career. That was enough to get him into the BC Juvenile, but he would only finish in the middle of the field. As a three-year-old, Inviting is winless but has not necessarily raced badly. He did cash a fourth-place check in the Fountain Of Youth and was fifth by a length in the FL Derby. Mb Stables has plenty of talented three-year-olds, so Inviting will need a good race here to show that there are not too many stablemates passing him by. Look for a good performance out of him here.

11- Rumble Red (Luz International, ridden by L J Luzzi)- The gelding has won two of five starts, finding better success after he was gelded in December. Following that, he has exclusively run with the TX-bred condition and did win the $75.000 Orbit Stakes at HOU. For as good as he was there, it’s now time to show what he can do against unrestricted company and the trainer enlists the services of his favorite jockey for this Peter Pan test.

12- Sound Wave (Fractious, ridden by Mario Gutierrez)- Sound Wave has looked really good early on in his career, with four wins in nine starts, and those victories have all come since November. He has gradually moved up, winning a maiden claimer, then an allowance, and ultimately the $125.000 Mine That Bird Derby at SUN (in a dead heat with Charmless Man) in his last race. Fractious probably could have put this one on the TC trail, but with other options, he has been more patient with this one, and that may be paying off. He’s working well and will be my pick to win.

Prediction: 12-4-10-3

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES